Linsy felt her heart pound in her chest as she held the phone, its silence amplifying the tension that had settled heavily around her. Michael Helwart’s voice, usually so assured and commanding, felt like a distant thunder, threatening to unleash a storm. She understood his authority; he was serious about his work, and mistakes were not tolerated in his realm. Yet, here she was, caught in a web of circumstances that felt entirely out of her control.

"You said you had something ...